Transcript: Charlie Gibson Interviews President Bush

BUSH: Oh, I don't know. I mean, you're going to have to be in a bubble during this here because the enemy would like to do nothing more than do you in. So, I mean, that's a necessary part of the job.

You know, yes -- I mean, believe me you understand what's going on in the world. This idea about how the President doesn't understand this, that, or the other, just simply is not the case. I mean, there's a lot of information that comes through the White House.

GIBSON: One thing you'll miss most?

BUSH: Well, I'll miss being Commander-in-Chief. I have gotten to be -- grown to be so appreciative of our military. It's hard to believe that so many kids, and some not-so-kids, have volunteered to fight in a war. And I'll miss -- and it's going to sound strange to you -- I'll miss meeting with the families whose son or daughter have fallen in combat, because the meetings I've had with the families are so inspirational. They -- I mean, obviously, there's a lot of sadness, and we cry, and we hug, and we occasionally laugh. And we share -- I listen to stories. But the Comforter-in-Chief is always the comforted person.

Believe it or not, I'll miss going to the hospitals as the Commander-in-Chief, and looking a kid in the eye, and have him say, heal me up, Mr. President, I want to go back in. And so, there will be a lot of these special moments that we'll miss.

GIBSON: How about you? The thing you'll miss the most?

MRS. BUSH: > I'll miss living at the White House, of course, and all the people that are there that we're with every single day that -- my staff that I laugh with and talk to every single day, and the President's staff, and then, of course, the people that work at the White House who we've known for years because we knew them when we visited President Bush and Barbara. So, it's the people that I'll miss the most.

GIBSON: And final question, just to finish the sentence: I will leave the presidency with a feeling of?

BUSH: I will leave the presidency with my head held high.

GIBSON: And I will leave the White House with?

MRS. BUSH: With gratitude for everybody that we met the entire time.

GIBSON: Good to talk to you.

BUSH: Thank you, sir.

MRS. BUSH: Thank you.

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